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<div class=" PageTitle title"><img src="img/Help.jpg" class="moduleIcon" /><h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2>
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        <legend style="color: #192F6B; font-weight: bold;">Data Attribute Guidelines</legend>
        <p>If you want to contribute, there is a guide to the data attributes, kinds of data , that the WDPA stores you can download our <br />
        <a href="PDF/WDPA_PA_datastructure_051008.pdf">Data Dictionary</a> [PDF:390kb]. </p>
        
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    <p>Please click on a link below to view the corresponding answer</p> 
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    <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="WDPA">What is the WDPA?</a></p>
    <div class="faq_answr colps_body">
    <p>
            The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is the most comprehensive global spatial
            dataset on marine and terrestrial protected areas available.</p>
        <p>
            <strong>Protected areas</strong> are internationally recognised as major tools in
            conserving species and ecosystems. Up to date information on protected areas is
            essential to enable a wide range of conservation and development activities.</p>
        <p>
            Since 1981 UNEP-WCMC, through its Protected Areas Programme, has been compiling
            this information and making it available to the global community. The WDPA is a
            joint project of UNEP and IUCN, produced by UNEP-WCMC and the IUCN World Commission
            on Protected Areas working with governments and collaborating NGOs.</p>
    
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    <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="GIS">What is GIS?</a></p>
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    <p>A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer-based set of tools for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying geographically referenced information.</p>
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    <li>
    <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="TandC">What are the terms and conditions of WDPA.org?</a></p>
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    <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="PA">What is a protected area?</a></p>
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    <p>
           Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental, cultural or similar value. Countries often have extensive systems of protected areas developed over many years. These systems vary considerably country to country, depending on national needs and priorities, and on differences in legislative, institutional and financial support. Protected areas transcend different environments from the highest mountains to the deepest sea, across forests, deserts, lakes and even national boundaries (territories).</p>
        <p>
           The WDPA uses the definition of a protected area (terrestrial, freshwater, and marine) as adopted by IUCN as the main criteria for a locations entry into the database.</p>
        <p>
            A protected area is:<br />
               <strong>
                <em>“A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values”.</em></strong><br />
              <sub>Source: Dudley, N. (Editor) (2008). Guidelines for Applying Protected Area Management Categories. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. x + 86pp.</sub></p>
        <p>
            <strong>Definition of a MPA:<br />
                <em>Any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlying water and
                    associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved
                    by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment.</em></strong><br />
          
        </p>
        <p>
            The first key point of this definition is that the primary objective of the protected area is conservation of biological diversity. The second key point is that the protection is 'effective'. This will generally mean that the area is protected by an Act of Parliament, in the case of public land, or by a covenant or conservation agreement, in the case of privately owned, or indigenous land.</p> 
            <p>For more information on the IUCN protected area definition please see <a href="http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/PAPS-016.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
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    <li>
    <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="Establish">How are protected areas established?</a></p>
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        <p>
            Protected areas can be established by a number of legislative mechanisms from an
            Act of Parliament to a conservation agreement.</p>
        <p>
            Typically many protected areas are established (or designated) within a countries
            national territory (including any maritime claims) using the appropriate legislation
            or agreement. These protected areas, within the WDPA, are classed as nationally
            designated.</p>
        <p>
            However there are locations of significant environmental, cultural or natural value
            that should be protected irrespective of the territory on which they are located.
            These locations are often recognized, preserved and protected under an international
            treaty or convention. <strong>Within the WDPA these protected areas are classed as internationally
                recognized.</strong></p>
        <p>
            Protected areas can be both nationally designated and internationally recognized.
            In some cases an internationally recognized site can be composed of multiple national
            designated protected areas from different countries.
        </p>
        <p>
            There are a number of globally and regionally recognized international treaties,
            conventions and agreements.</p>
                <p>
                    <strong>The most common global conventions are:</strong></p>
                <ul>
                    <li><strong>United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
                        World Heritage Sites:</strong><br />
                        UNESCO seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural
                        and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
                        This is embodied in an international treaty called the<a href="http://whc.unesco.org/?cid=175">
                            Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage</a>,
                        adopted by UNESCO in 1972.</li><br />
                    <li><strong>United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
                        Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB):</strong><br />
                        The Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), proposes an interdisciplinary research
                        agenda and capacity building aiming to improve the relationship of people with their
                        environment globally. Since its launch in 1970 MAB has concentrated on the development
                        of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). The biosphere reserve concept
                        was developed initially in 1974 and was substantially revised in 1995 with the adoption
                        by the UNESCO General Conference of the Statutory Framework and the Seville Strategy
                        for Biosphere Reserves. </li>
                     <li><strong>The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl
                        Habitat (Ramsar Convention): </strong>
                        <br />
                        The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty adopted on 2 February
                        1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. The
                        Convention entered into force in 1975 and now (as of August 2007) has 155 Contracting
                        Parties, or member States, in all parts of the world. The mission of the Ramsar
                        Convention, as adopted by the Parties in 1999 and refined in 2002, is <em>“the conservation
                            and wise use of all wetlands through local, regional and national actions and international
                            cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout
                            the world”</em>.
                        <br />
                        (<a href="http://www.ramsar.org/about/info2007-02-e.pdf">link to handy information sheet</a>
                        [PDF].) </li>
                </ul>
                <p>
                    <strong>There are a number of regional international conventions including:</strong></p>
                <ul>
                    <li><strong>EC Birds Directive:</strong><br />
                        In 1979, the European Community adopted the Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the
                        conservation of wild birds (the 'Birds Directive'), in response to the 1979 Bern
                        Convention on the conservation of European habitats and species (the '<a href="http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1364">Bern
                            Convention</a>'). The Directive provides a framework for the conservation and
                        management of, and human interactions with, wild birds in Europe. It sets broad
                        objectives for a wide range of activities, although the precise legal mechanisms
                        for their achievement are at the discretion of each Member State.<br />
                        (<a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/consleg/1979/L/01979L0409-20070101-en.pdf">Council
                            Directive 79/409/EEC </a>[PDF]) </li>
                     <li><strong>EC Habitats Directive :</strong><br />
                        In 1992 the European Community adopted Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation
                        of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (EC Habitats Directive). This is
                        the means by which the Community meets its obligations as a signatory of the Convention
                        on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention).
                        The main aim of the EC Habitats Directive is to promote the maintenance of biodiversity
                        by requiring Member States to take measures to maintain or restore natural habitats
                        and wild species at a favorable conservation status, introducing robust protection
                        for those habitats and species of European importance.
                        <br />
                        <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31992L0043:EN:HTML">
                            (Council Directive 92/43/EEC)</a> </li>
                     <li><strong>ASEAN Declaration on Heritage Parks:</strong><br />
                        On 29 November 1984 the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes
                        the member countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei
                        Darussalam, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Cambodia, declared a group of ASEAN Heritage
                        Parks selected from each countries existing protected areas system. They agreed
                        that common cooperation is necessary to conserve and manage such parks and reserves
                        including the setting up of regional conservation and management action as well
                        a regional mechanism complementary to and supportive of national efforts at implementation
                        of conservation measures. </li>
                </ul>
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    <li>
    <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="disputeT">How does WDPA deal with disputed territories?</a></p>
    <div class="faq_answr colps_body">
    <p>UNEP-WCMC operates a "take down" policy by which we remove from the WDPA any protected area submitted by a National Government for which we receive a formal written complaint from a second National Government concerning the territorial sovereignty of the concerned location.</p>
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      <li>
      <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="categorised">How are nationally designated protected
            areas categorized?</a></p>
         <div id="Faq6Div" class=" faq_answr colps_body FAQscroll_box">
        <p>
            Consistency in comparing protected areas across the World under the IUCN definition is achieved by the allocation and use of an internationally defined set of management categories, known as IUCN Protected Area Management Categories. The IUCN definition implies a common set of objectives for protected areas and the IUCN Category system in turn defines differences in management approaches. The WDPA also utilises the IUCN category system, as outlined below. IUCN categories are not applied to protected areas established under international conventions or agreements (e.g. UNESCO World Heritage Sites).</p>
        <p>
            The categories include a definition outlining key aspects within the management intent of the protected area alongside an example designation. For more information and guidelines on the application of IUCN protected area management categories see  <a href="http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/PAPS-016.pdf">here</a>.</p>
        <h4>
            Category Ia: Strict nature reserve</h4>
        <p>
            Category Ia are strictly protected areas set aside to protect biodiversity and also possibly geological/geomorphological features, where human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values. Such protected areas can serve as indispensable reference areas for scientific research and monitoring. 
        </p>
        <h4>
            Category Ib: Wilderness area </h4>
        <p>
            Category Ib protected areas are usually large unmodified or slightly modified areas, retaining their natural character and influence, without permanent or significant human habitation, which are protected and managed so as to preserve their natural condition.</p> 
        <h4>
            Category II: National park</h4>
        <p>
            Category II protected areas are large natural or near natural areas set aside to protect large-scale ecological processes, along with the complement of species and ecosystems characteristic of the area, which also provide a foundation for environmentally and culturally compatible spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor opportunities.</p> 
        <h4>
            Category III: Natural monument or feature</h4>
        <p>
            Category III protected areas are set aside to protect a specific natural monument, which can be a landform, sea mount, submarine cavern, geological feature such as a cave or even a living feature such as an ancient grove. They are generally quite small protected areas and often have high visitor value.</p>
        
        <h4>
            Category IV: Habitat/species management area</h4>
        <p>
            Category IV protected areas aim to protect particular species or habitats and management reflects this priority. Many category IV protected areas will need regular, active interventions to address the requirements of particular species or to maintain habitats, but this is not a requirement of the category.</p>
            <h4>
            Category V: Protected landscape/seascape</h4>
        <p>
            A protected area where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant ecological, biological, cultural and scenic value: and where safeguarding the integrity of this interaction is vital to protecting and sustaining the area and its associated nature conservation and other values. 
        </p>
               <h4>
            Category VI: Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources </h4>
        <p>
           Category VI protected areas conserve ecosystems and habitats, together with associated cultural values and traditional natural resource management systems. They are generally large, with most of the area in a natural condition, where a proportion is under sustainable natural resource management and where low-level non-industrial use of natural resources compatible with nature conservation is seen as one of the main aims of the area.
           <br /><br /><sub>Source: Dudley, N. (Editor) (2008). Guidelines for Applying Protected Area Management Categories. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. x + 86pp.</sub>
        </p>
       
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      <li>
      <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="noUK">Why are there no protected areas for the United Kingdom in the WDPA?</a></p>
      <div id="FaqnoUKDiv" class="faq_answr colps_body">
       <p>Due to publishing restrictions on the UK protected areas data we are currently unable to include these sites in the WDPA. UNEP-WCMC are working with data partners and UK agencies to resolve this issue.</p>
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      <li>
      <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="anchorStats" id ="anchorStats">I want some statistics and/or summary tables about marine and terrestrial protected areas, where should I look?</a></p>
      <div id="faqDivStats" class="faq_answr colps_body">
       <p>UNEP-WCMC is currently working on an online statistical tool that will enable users to answer common questions such as: How many protected areas exist globally? What is the total area protected?  How has the growth in protected areas increased over time. Users will be able to produce statistics on terrestrial and marine protected areas by country, region or globally. The tables and/or graphs will be displayed on screen or be available to download in tabular form. Currently users can download protected areas data in KML or GIS data formats. By mid-2009 users will be also able to download the data in tabular form.</p>
           <p>The WDPA statistical tool will not be available online until mid-2009. In the meantime, users can access:</p>
           <ul>
           <li><a href="http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/PA_growth_chart_2007.gif" target="_blank">Growth in protected areas over time 1872 - 2007 graph</a>. <a href="http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/graph_background.html" target="_blank">Background information about chart</a></li>
           <li>Information support to <a href="http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/mdgs/index.cfm" target="_blank">UN Millennium Development Goal 7</a></li>
           <li><a href="http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/mdgs/WDPAPAstats_Jan08_download.xls" target="_blank">Excel spreadsheet</a> with protection statistics by country/territory</li>
           </ul>
      </div>
      </li>
      <li>
      <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="dwnldFiles">What are the files downloaded from WDPA.org and how do I use them?</a></p>
      <div id="faqDivFiles" class="faq_answr colps_body FAQscroll_box">
       <p>The WDPA is a spatial database, it holds key attributes or fields of information such as name, designation, area, establishment date, IUCN protected area management category, establishment date etc as well as the delineated boundary or location (latitude and longitude) for the site. The data is held within a Geographical Information System (GIS) enabling users to display the data in desktop mapping programmes (e.g. ESRI ArcMap, ArcView) or view online in 3D globes like Google Earth or ESRI ArcGIS Explorer.  </p>
           <p>The downloadable dataset is distributed in GIS file format known as shapefiles (.shp) and KML. GIS capable software or earth browsers such as Google Earth / ArcGIS Explorer will be required to view these files. Accompanying (and contained within the shapefiles/kml) is an attribute table that contains key fields of information about the protected areas stored in the WDPA. If you require only tabular information (e.g. DBF or MS Excel) please view the answer to the previous question.</p>
           <p>Delineated boundary data is not available for all protected areas in the WDPA; therefore your downloaded dataset may contain polygon (boundary) and/or point (geographic location) shapefiles, representing the available information. The map viewers on the website display the currently available information for every site in the WDPA, displaying either a delineated boundary (polygon) or a location (point). </p>
           <p>The WDPA is continually being updated, which includes increasing the number of sites in the WDPA with delineated boundary data. If you are interested in a particular country/region or can assist us in this process please contact <a href="mailto:protectedareas@unep-wcmc.org">protectedareas@unep-wcmc.org</a> to discuss further. </p>
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      <li>
      <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="spatialData">Is it possible to download a global spatial (GIS) dataset of national and international protected areas?</a></p>
      <div id="faqDivFiles" class="faq_answr colps_body">
      <p>Yes - the WDPA Annual Release 2009 is now available. It contains a global dataset of terrestrial and marine protected areas, including specific subsets such as marine protected areas, IUCN categories and internationally recognised sites such as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. <a href="Register.aspx">Registration</a> and agreement to the WDPA Terms and Conditions are required to download the dataset.  However, if you require the global dataset for any commercial use/purpose, please email <a href="mailto:wdpacommercial@unep-wcmc.org">wdpacommercial@unep-wcmc.org</a> directly regarding access. 
Click here to access the <a href="AnnualRelease.aspx">WDPA Annual Release 2009</a>. </p>
      
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      <p class="faq_qst colps_head"><a name="CC">What is the Conservation Commons?</a></p>
      <div id="faqDivCC" class="faq_answr colps_body"> <p>
           The purpose of the Conservation Commons is to ensure open access and fair use of data, information, knowledge, and expertise on the conservation of biodiversity for the benefit of the global conservation community and beyond. See <a href="http://www.conservationcommons.org/" target="_blank">www.conservationcommons.org</a> for more information<p></div>
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